Taking the Stigma Away From Abortion…Through Tweeting?

This week in Twitter news:

Gloria Steinem

Women en masse started using the hashtag #ihadanabortion, proclaiming that they have had an abortion or that they support those who have.  This sparked some blogosphere debate about whether such a statement is bold; another example of internet oversharing; or just disrespectful of life (thanks, anti-choicers– really adding to the discussion with that one.  Given that you think *everything* pro-choice folks do is disrespectful life, I can’t see how the Tweeting aspect makes things any worse).

The tricky thing for the pro-choice movement is that our commitment to abortion rights is premised largely out of respect for women’s privacy, which makes it hard to come down hard in favor of women “outing” themselves about having had abortions.  But that said, the more women there are who choose to speak openly and honestly about their abortions, the more people will have to come to terms with the fact that women they know have had abortions.

That doesn’t make abortion a good thing for every women, obviously, nor will more openness about abortion change everyone’s mind.  But it is harder to decry abortion as an absolute evil if you know that someone you love has had one.   It is harder to ignore the real facts, harder to pretend that women who have abortions are sluts who deserve to go to hell, if those women are your sisters, friends, aunts, mothers, co-workers, daughters.

I haven’t had an abortion.  If I did have one, I assume I wouldn’t feel eager to tell everyone I knew.  But I wouldn’t want to hide it, either.  And I deeply admire the bravery and honesty of any woman who chooses, via Twitter or otherwise, to share her abortion story.  This is the age we live in; this is how we communicate.  Tweeting about abortion doesn’t minimize the experience or make it less serious, it just brings it into the open.

Tracy Clark-Flory addressed the Twitter issue at Salon this week, and I like her conclusion:

There is part of me that bristles at the idea of abortion or rape being reduced to an edgy t-shirt slogan or a trending Twitter hashtag — because the complexity of women’s varying experiences is lost. But, you know what? Political slogans are not about nuance, and after Tuesday’s election we’re especially in need of some bold rhetoric.

Related posts:

1. Meanwhile, in Britain…
2. Redefining rape
3. Biased Counseling